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Kantian Ethics (Duty and Good Will (Examples of duties: (doing good to…
Kantian Ethics
Duty and Good Will
Kantian ethics are deontological, they focus on the idea of duty
Kant thought that there is objective and absolute moral law, morality is not just personal preference or invented by society
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Kant thought the only thing that can be called good without any qualification is good will. Purity of motive is important for Kant, an action is good if it is done for the right reasons, the same action is not virtuous if it is done to impress others.
Morality should not be driven by emotion, we should do the right thing because it is the right thing, not because we feel sorry for someone or loyal to them, or for any other emotional reason.
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Strengths of Kant
Kant's ideas of moral postulates can be appealing. Morality is not changeable depending on fashionable opinion, there are some things which are always absolutely right or wrong.
Kant emphasises human moral reasoning, giving autonomy to people to act thoughtfully rather than blindly following.
The categorical imperative as a quality of morality does not leave people wasting time wondering whether, in this circumstance, they still need to tell the truth.
Kant recognises the dignity and worth of other human beings, whatever their status in society.
Weaknesses of Kant
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Sometimes Kant seems to be recommending sticking to rules even when it is clear that such actions will lead to terrible consequences.
Kant does not tell us what to do when duties conflict. He does not give guidance about how to make a choice.
Three Postulates
- FREEDOM - we are all free to make moral decisions. If we were not free to choose then we could not be praised or blamed for what we do as we would have no choice.
- IMMORTALITY - good people should be rewarded with ultimate happiness. This is the highest good, SUMMUM BONUM. In this life we can see that it does not always happen that good people are rewarded with happiness. We must assume there is an afterlife in which justice is done.
- GOD - Kant assumes there must be a God to bring about the afterlife and to ensure that justice is done. Kant thought that human reason could not know God.
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